Eastern Cemetery Will Be Beautiful Again!

But We Need Your Help!

Please click below to give a much-needed donation to assist us with the costs of cleanup. Currently, our Volunteers pay for all costs out of their own pockets. 100% of your money will go directly to buying gasoline, lawn equipment, and everything else needed to beautify Eastern.

Latest Blog

FOEC is very excited to announce that we have been approved for the Kroger Community Rewards Program!
Please take a few minutes and register your Kroger Plus card. Every time you shop at Kroger they will donate a percentage to the Friends of Eastern Cemetery! This costs you nothing and helps FOEC every time you shop at Kroger.
***PLEASE REGISTER NOW & PLEASE SHARE*** THANK YOU!!!!
TO USE THE KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM:
Simply register online at krogercommunityrewards.com and follow the steps below:
1.) Click on Sign In/Register
2.) Most participants are new online customers, so they must click on SIGN UP TODAY in the ‘New Customer?’ box.
3.) Enter your zip code, click on favorite store, enter your email address and create a password, agree to the terms and conditions
4.) You will then get a message to check your email inbox and click on the link within the body of the email to confirm registration.
5.) Click on My Account and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step.
6.) Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus card number.
7.) Update or confirm your information.
8.) Enter NPO number of 88965 for Friends of Eastern Cemetery
9.) To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see your organization’s name on the right side of your information page.
That's it!
Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 800-576-4377, select option 4 to get your Kroger Plus card number.
Swipe your registered Kroger Plus card or use the phone number that is related to your registered Kroger Plus card when shopping for each purchase to count.
Thank you!
...Read the full post

As many of you know, a weak section of the historic concrete cemetery wall on Rogers Street was knocked down last year due to a drunk driver. We have been in consultation with the Attorney General’s office to work out estimates for the insurance claim to repair the wall. However, some of the residents on neighboring Rogers Street have sent in their own proposal and estimate for wrought iron fencing and a gate, so that they can continue to access Eastern Cemetery as their own dog park and neighborhood park.
As the Friends of Eastern Cemetery, we believe that the historic wall needs to be rebuilt as is.
In our opinion and in the opinion of many preservation experts, new wrought iron fencing is not appropriate for Eastern Cemetery, for the following reasons:
There is no historic precedent that there was ever an entrance on Rogers Street. The only wrought iron fencing on the property is along Baxter Avenue, which was the main, historic entrance. We believe we should preserve, not alter, the historic aspects of the cemetery.
Replacing this section of concrete wall with wrought iron fencing also sets a precedent that the neighbors of a cemetery have the right to dictate its preservation and restoration. This is a very slippery slope.
Wrought iron fencing is not as secure as a solid concrete wall. This provides more opportunity for those who wish to do harm to access Eastern Cemetery. If scrappers cut down portions of the fence and gate, who would then have to pay for the repairs?
Lastly, Louisville-Jefferson County Ordinance 43.01 states, “No person, except those to whom certificates granting right of burial have been issued and their accompanying friends shall enter any cemetery within Louisville Metro at any time without permission, and persons are prohibited from entering or leaving cemetery grounds except through the gates provided by the cemetery proprietor for that purpose.” A new gate on Rogers Street goes against this ordinance as it was not provided by Eastern Cemetery’s proprietor presently or historically....Read the full post

We've all heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday but did you know about Giving Tuesday? It is a global day of giving back to non-profits in your community. It falls on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving each year. Please think about supporting the Friends of Eastern Cemetery this year. Just click on the "Make A Donation" tab at the top of our website.
The Friends of Eastern Cemetery is a volunteer driven group dedicated to the restoration and resurrection of Eastern Cemetery. FOEC is a community of people from different walks of life who have come together with one common goal and that is to help the families of those buried at Eastern Cemetery by bringing back the long overdue respect it so desperately deserves.
...Read the full post

Comedy Caravan Fundraiser – Silent Auction Items Needed
On November 12th from 7pm-10pm, the Friends of Eastern Cemetery will be holding a fundraiser at the Comedy Caravan on Bardstown Road. It will be a great night of friends, fun, and laughs!
Before the comedy show starts we will hold a silent auction to raise money for Eastern Cemetery. We’ve already lined up some really great items, but we need your help! If you or anyone you know would be interested in donating some items for auction, please use this link to contact us!
All of the proceeds from the donated items will go to helping the restoration efforts of Friends of Eastern Cemetery.
On November 12th come share a night of fun and laughs with FOEC...Read the full post

Our good friend, Jon Appell, is coming back to Eastern Cemetery to teach an advanced class on monument preservation/restoration.
If you've attended one of Jon's previous workshops, then this advanced workshop is for YOU!
The workshop will take place on Sunday, October 19th at Eastern Cemetery. We will be providing lunch and all tools/materials. Space is EXTREMELY limited so please purchase now to avoid missing out.
Click here to purchase your ticket today!
Thanks!
The FOEC Team...Read the full post

Eastern Cemetery is blessed with some awesome natural resources. This time of year we have black walnuts in season and are in the process of curing them. Right now we are taking pre-orders with delivery coming around October 31 and stretching until Christmas. We have a limited amount so get your pre-orders in quick. These treats will go fast!
These nuts came straight from the cemetery and the volunteers of Eastern Cemetery have collected, hulled, washed, cleaned and cured each and every one of them. We have two different options available:
1 pound bag of in-shell walnuts = $8
5 pound bags of in-shell walnuts = $36
or
1 pound bag of already shelled black walnuts = $16
5 pound bag of already shelled black walnuts = $72
Please click here to make your pre-order. Please include your name, number, and poundage of in-shell or already shelled walnuts that you would like.
Thank you!
FOEC...Read the full post

We are very happy to announce that we have two upcoming fundraisers!
The first event is the Arts & Crafts Festival at the Shops of Forest Springs on Sunday, September 14 from 10am to 5pm. While cleaning the cemetery we found large amounts of grape vine. Our volunteers have made these vines into wreaths and decorated them for the fall! Please stop by the festival to check out our crafts. All proceeds go to Eastern Cemetery.
The second event is the Friends of Eastern Cemetery Comedy Caravan Benefit Night on Wednesday, November 12 at 7pm. Join us for a fun filled night full of and limitless laughs, door prizes, a silent auction and great food and drinks! This is an excellent opportunity to have a night out on the town and support the Friends of Eastern Cemetery! All proceeds go towards preserving Eastern Cemetery. Please stay tuned for ticketing information....Read the full post

New Opportunity Available for Volunteers of All Ages – MULBERRY PICKERS!
We know that many of our supporters would like to help Eastern Cemetery, but may have certain reasons why it’s not possible for them to cut grass or run equipment. We understand and that’s ok! We now have a new role open that may interest you!
You may be surprised to know that Eastern Cemetery is blessed with many different resources. On the property we have mulberry trees. Guess what? THEY’RE IN SEASON!
Come out this summer and pick mulberries that will be used to raise money for Eastern! You can come for 15 minutes or all day. These will be baked into pies, sold fresh, and also made into other sweet treats! Boy/Girl scouts, the young, the young-at-heart, and everyone else in betwixt and between is invited!
See you this Sunday at Eastern Cemetery from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Lunch by Spinelli's Pizzeria is provided along with coffee from Heine Brothers'....Read the full post

It brings us great joy to announce that Andy Harpole, the leader of "Friends of Eastern Cemetery," has been named as a contender in Eagle Rare's "Rare Life Award."
Andy has spent hundreds of hours, thousands of dollars, and provided the group the use of his own personal equipment to help maintain and preserve Eastern Cemetery. In short, Andy is the reason the group came together the way it has.
Andy has a great shot at winning, but we need your help! Please vote for Andy on the Eagle Rare Life Award website by clicking here!
You may vote once every 24 hour period. This means that your daily vote could make all the difference! The winner of this contest will receive $50,000.00 for their charity. This money could do wonders to help Eastern with new equipment, gas, and paint.
Let's do everything we can to help this wonderful guy out!
Congratulations, Andy! We are proud of you!...Read the full post

Hello All!
This year we will be doing another Gravestone Preservation workshop with gravestone conservationist extraordinaire, Jon Appell!
Please join us on the 24th and 25th of May 2014. The workshop will run from 9am to 4pm each day. Snacks, drinks, and lunches will be provided to all who attend.
The cost for the workshop is 50$ per day (plus a small merchant processor surcharge.)
In order to reserve your spot, please visit and signup on one of these two links for the day of your choosing. Click the day you would like to attend:
DAY ONE: May, Saturday 24th
DAY TWO: May, Sunday 25th
For local hotel options please click here.
...Read the full post